Copacabana, Ipanema, Sambadrome, Sugarloaf mountains, Maracana football stadium, the city centre, Christ the Redeemer, cathedrals, favelas, museums …. Where to start in Rio!?! None of the above. We head to the botanical gardens. Sound strange? It was a strategic move in the hope that the weather clears later in the week so we can actually see Christ the Redeemer when we get up there. Since arriving in Rio the mist and low cloud has been the dominan...

We both quickly avert our eyes to the left, focusing on what's out the window. Holding our breath. Our heart rate increasing to a pounding in our ears. Unable to move but desperate to see what's going on in our peripheral vision. We wait for the chaos to start. Any second now. Voices are raised but there is only really shouting from one side. The other person remains quiet and subdued. I think to myself, how the hell am I going to protect Emma since she is the ...